Many visitors to Cold Spring, who enjoy the village’s cozy and friendly atmosphere and marvel at the astonishing natural beauty of the mountains, water, and rugged shores that surround this “jewel” of the Hudson Valley, often wonder about the village’s history. The town’s geography alone - its proximity to New York City, the Hudson River, and the United States Military Academy at West Point - indicates that there is more to Cold Spring than outdoor sports, quaint bed-and-breakfasts, and antique shopping.
Indeed, Cold Spring’s history is closely intertwined with the history of this nation. Although originally settled in the 1730’s by a farmer named Thomas Davenport, it was George Washington himself who first coined the name of the settlement that would become “Cold Spring” when he sampled its fresh springs while on a visit during the American Revolution. A large unit of his Continental Army was encamped nearby, and this would not be the last time that the military would recognize the strategic importance of the area surrounding this village nestled along the vital north-south “highway” that is the Hudson River.
During the American Revolution, military commanders deemed the nearby western banks of the Hudson River – “West Point” – the single most strategic location in all of the American colonies. Originally a highly fortified military garrison, and later the training grounds of America’s officer corps, West Point shared a close relationship with the village of Cold Spring when entrepreneur Gourverneur Kemble built the West Point Foundry in Cold Spring. This Foundry supplied most of the heavy cannon used by Union artillery units during the Civil War, which prompted another visit to Cold Spring by yet another famous American President, Abraham Lincoln.
Although a railroad connected Cold Spring to New York City and upstate New York in the mid 1800’s, big industry never came to the village, keeping its natural beauty and charm intact. The foundry fell out of use during the early years of the 20th Century, and in 1973, Cold Spring was designated a federal historic district.
If you visit the Foundry Café in Cold Spring to sample their delightful menu of hearty and nutritious snacks and meals, you may be intrigued by stunning photographs of a murky and mysterious castle framed on the café’s walls. Closer inspection of the photos reveals that they depict “Bannerman’s Island, Cold Spring,” but if you take to the village streets to see the castle for yourself, you may come up empty handed. Bannerman Castle was at one time the warehouse of the largest buyer of military supplies in the world. Now restricted from public for safety reasons, Bannerman’s Island can be seen through the trees by observant drivers heading north along route 9D from Cold Spring to Beacon. Hudson Valley Outfitters also arranges special kayaking trips to the island that are both memorable and mystifying.
One Hudson River artifact said to be stored in the warehouse at Bannerman’s Castle was a link of the Great Chain, an enormous barrier that military planners stretched across the Hudson River in April of 1778. Designed to block British ships and ensnare them in a barrage of withering artillery cannon fire from the fortifications on West Point, the chain weighed 65 tons and stretched between West Point and Constitution Island. Although the British Navy never tested the strength of the Chain, it was deemed such an important defensive obstacle that American traitor Benedict Arnold included a valuable description and analysis of the Chain as a component of the classified information he leaked to the British Crown. The pieces of the chain are no longer stored at Bannerman’s Castle. In order to see a part of the Chain itself, and to view the strategic bend in the river it was designed to fortify, one must visit the campus of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Although initially West Point was a garrison and fort strategically located at a vital bend in the Hudson River, it eventually became the training ground for the Corps of Engineers, and later, for a large portion of the commissioned officers in the United States Army. Established in 1802, West Point has played a significant role in the shaping of this nation. Presidents Grant and Eisenhower were both graduates. Of the 60 major battles of the Civil War, West Pointers commanded 55 of them on both sides. In the other five battles, a West Point graduate commanded one side or the other. West Point accepted its first class of women in 1976. Today, West Point is a four-year college granting Bachelor of Science degrees and Army officer commissions to nearly 1000 second lieutenants hailing from all fifty states each year.
At the other end of the Great Chain, across the Hudson River from West Point, is Constitution Island, a landmark that also shares an important link to America’s early military history. Originally the site of a fort, which was destroyed by its builders while still a work-in-progress, it later became the northern anchoring point of the Great Chain and the site of a only slightly less ephemeral fortification. Manned from 1778 to 1783, Constitution Island remained under government control until the Warner family moved there from New York City in 1836 and built the lovely Warner House, which still stands today. Lawyer Henry Warner’s daughters, Susan and Anna Warner, were famous writers of the 1800s and taught bible study to West Point cadets for nearly 40 years. Susan wrote a novel called, “The Wide, Wide, World,” which was one of the most widely printed works of its time. Anna wrote the lyrics to “Jesus Love Me,” and lived on the Island until her death in 1915. Constitution Island is a popular destination of HVO-sponsored kayaking trips.
Adjacent to Constitution Island is the Constitution Marsh, an Audubon-protected nature preserve that is a safe haven for breeding and migrant birds and offers a serene habitat for the plants, fish, and other wildlife of the Hudson River estuary. New York State has selected it as a Bird Conservation Area and Audubon has deemed it an “Important Bird Area.” Another popular destination of HVO kayakers, visitors can de-boat and visit the Marsh’s Education Center, which features a 500-gallon aquarium, a live camera feed of nesting wildlife, and a vast array of information about conservation and Hudson River stewardship concerns.
Another extremely well frequented kayaking destination with stunning vistas of West Point’s unique and formidable architecture is Garrison Landing, in the town of Garrison, just south of Cold Spring. Originally the site of a ferry service that shuttled passengers across the river before the building of the Bear Mountain Bridge, the Landing is now the “the” spot for gorgeous views and is in close proximity to the vibrant Garrison Arts Center and community theatre. Virtually untouched by the passage of time, Garrison is a sleepy, quaint village that has become a prime destination of City people in search of a new home with nothing but peace, quiet, and year-round beauty.
Back up in Cold Spring, another point of interest that shares a considerably less intimate, yet equally stunning, view of West Point is the Our Lady Chapel, which was originally built in 1830 as a place of worship for the West Point Foundry’s workers. Its stark Romanesque columns confidently facing the Hudson River and West Point beyond, the chapel is currently used for weddings and other special services. It can also be seen during HVO-sponsored kayaking trips along the Hudson.
Steeped in history, rich in rustic beauty, and reminiscent of a time forgotten, a visit to Cold Spring is always time well spent. Whether you’re an avid outdoors-person in search of new challenges and natural highs, or a curious traveler looking to relax and enjoy the wonders of the Hudson Valley, Cold Spring offers something for everyone.